Police: Homeless men fought, victim's face slashed with machete

Another man slashes him in face with machete after they argue, Colonial Regional police say.

November 20, 2012|By Pamela Lehman and Frank Warner, Of The Morning Call

Two homeless men living in tents argued Monday night and one slashed the other in the face with a machete, Colonial Regional police said.

Levine H. Koerner, 57, is charged with attempted homicide, aggravated assault, simple assault and terroristic threats. He was sent to Northampton County Prison under $750,000 bail.

Police said the victim, 42-year-old Richard Heilman, and Koerner are homeless and had been staying in tents near a walking path north of the 1400 block of Schoenersville Road, just outside Bethlehem.

Koerner admitted the attack and told police he wished he would have cut off the victim's head, according to a police report.

Police said the attack happened just before 7 p.m. and was sparked by an argument the men had after cooking food.

Bethlehem police found the wounded Heilman within city limits, but determined the crime happened in Hanover Township, Northampton County. Heilman was taken to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Muhlenberg to repair a severed artery.

According to Colonial Regional police:

On Monday evening, Bethlehem police received a report about a possible sexual assault involving a woman who was also living in the wooded area. Bethlehem police said they are investigating the report and no charges have been filed.

As police investigated the possible sexual assault, they received information about Heilman's injuries.

Heilman had a large, gaping wound to the right side of his face. He told police that Koerner had attacked him with a machete.

While Koerner admitted the attack, he said Heilman had tackled him after they had gotten into an argument.

Koerner told police he went to his tent to get his machete when Heilman left the area. He said he found Heilman nearby at another tent and hit him with the machete.

During the attack, Koerner said he told Heilman he would kill him.

"Koerner also admitted to [police] that he wished he had cut Heilman's head off, and that the machete attack would teach Heilman not to tackle him," a police report states.